Holt garners a return trip to Washington, D.C.
BY CHRIS GAETANO
Staff Writer

Rush Holt

Democratic incumbent Rush Holt easily dispatched his Republican opponent Joseph Sinagra in the 12th District House of Representatives race.

According to the New Jersey Division of Elections, Holt defeated Sinagra by a nearly 2-1 margin, accumulating 115,413 votes to Sinagra's 60,443. The 12th Congressional District covers portions of Middlesex, Mon-mouth, Mercer, Hunterdon and Somerset counties. Both Holt and Sinagra's strongest showings were in Middlesex County.

Holt, a former rocket scientist from Hopewell, will be serving his fifth term since winning the seat in 1998. He is a vocal opponent of the current war in Iraq and has called for the immediate withdrawal of all troops. He is also critical of the way the war on terror in general is being conducted, and feels the U.S. should push for more diplomatic engagement.

Holt said his firm and clear policy on the war counted as a significant factor in his re-election.

"There's no question that the war is the greatest issue of the day, morally and politically, and it hangs over everyone's head and it lurks in the backs of their minds," said Holt. "Also, I think, it helped because... I didn't equivocate and I think people want to know what the public officials think and how they think."

Joseph Sinagra

Holt said that when he returns to the nation's capital, he hopes to hold a seat on either an intelligence subcommittee or on the appropriations committee.

Meanwhile, when asked about his feelings about Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's resignation on Wednesday, Holt said, "It's way past time. ... He put soldiers in untenable and unacceptable situations."

Sinagra, a former Helmetta Borough Council president and Middlesex County Clerk candidate, made illegal immigration his top issue. He had also said that regardless of why the country went to war in the first place, the U.S. still had important work to do in Iraq and that the troops shouldn't leave until the job is finished.

The 2006 mid-term elections have been called by many to be a referendum on the war in Iraq.

Sinagra felt he made a valiant effort in the campaign. He said he has no plans to leave politics anytime soon.

"I don't feel I lost. The rehearsal went well. ... The public voted, and I think I made a good showing, and I thank everyone who supported me. And Joe Sinagra's not going away, either," said Sinagra. "I'll be back."